Janice Worthington MA, CPRW, JCTC, CEIP Send Janice a Question

Are You A Headless Candidate? | Now that I’ve got your attention and you’ve returned from the mirror relieved, don’t lose the visual quite yet. Imagine yourself downtown on the busiest intersection in your city’s business district. Certainly you will notice strong sense of business fashion and walk of authority on the streets. Now try to imagine all these folks headless, no injuries, just headless suits or business casual with briefcases, laptops, cell phones and palm pilots walking the streets as if nothing were amiss. Lest you think I’m an obsessive Beetlejuice fan, there are two important points to be made from my observation. Especially in job search our head is supposed to run the show, consider all options and make intelligent decisions. We can survive in life without other body parts but not without our heads! Hands don’t really make wise decisions and neither do feet. Thus the saying, “use your head!” Secondly the head with its eyes, facial expressions and word power provides the most effective way to send your message. And those precious ears are situated right up there. Wait a minute! This is ridiculous. Are there really any headless candidates? You bet! And they don’t get hired and they don’t know why. Here’s what they have in common: Headless Résumé - What appears under your name address and phone number - a job history? Your education? If so, without a headline objective, you have a headless résumé. Although you are probably afraid to commit to the type of position you seek because you anticipate it limiting your options, the employer has no clue who you are or why you showed up on his desk. Put an identifier up there, i.e., Senior-Level Manager at least introduces you Headless Cover Letter - Most truly are. They do no more than introduce, summarize and request. Here’s a great tip. Compose your introduction (who you are) and after summarizing what you’ve got in education and experience in the next paragraph, split the middle of the page and do a side-by-side comparison of their specifications and your qualifications to prove your compatibility. It will draw the reader’s eye and will provide point-by-point substantiation. You have to have a cover letter anyway. Why not score points with it? Headless Search Strategy - What are you doing to get hired, anyway? I very seldom hear a client say, I’m going to send my résumé to every plastics manufacturer in the country. I want to go into pharmaceutical sales so I’m going to get a directory and every sales manager is going to have my résumé in his possession. The headless candidate’s strategy contains statements like, "I’ll get a headhunter to find me a job," or "I’ll find something on a job site." No strategy, no methodology, no results - headless. Headless Interview - The following, courtesy of Anne McKinney, is a result of a survey from employers regarding their most common reasons for candidate rejection. Note how lack of experience isn’t even included. Low level of accomplishment, poor attitude, lack of self-confidence, lack of goals/objectives, lack of enthusiasm, lack of interest in the company’s business, inability to sell or express yourself, poor appearance, lack of maturity, no leadership potential, lack of preparation for the interview, no knowledge about company. Print this article and post it on your mirror so that the next time you comb your hair you will remember to make sure that great smile is more than an optical illusion. Listen more carefully to your colleagues in the workplace and the next time you walk through the center of the business district you’ll know that many of those on the street are headless. Believe me, I guarantee it!

Janice Worthington is President of Worthington Career Services, Ohio’s oldest resume preparation firm and one of the oldest in the U.S. With 14 years of corporate recruiting experience, Worthington Career Services opened its doors focused on applicant empowerment in 1973. She is known for advising some of America’s highest-ranking industry leaders. Please send Janice your questions at janice@worthingtonresumes.com .  For more information on Janice, please visit her website at http://www.worthingtonresumes.com/!